Rating: 
Summary: ONE OF THE FINEST FILMS EVER MADE!
Review: The release of this film on video in America has been a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait. Kieslowski's cycle of films is without doubt the finest piece of cinema I have ever seen. This is a towering achievement. Each of these ten self contained films has more to say in less than an hour than most feature length films do. Each film can be viewed in any order and one should'nt watch them all at once. From the description alone, one should'nt assume that these are interpretations of the Ten Commandments or that this is some 10 hour Biblical epic. Decalogue is "inspired" by the Commandments, in fact there is and isnt a one to one correlation between the individual films and a particular Commandment. Kieslowski often blends the different Commandments into one of the films. The films themselves are fascinating, suspensful, unsettling, sardonic and endlessly imaginative. For the most part this is a VERY somber series and in the case of Decalogue 5, very disturbing. But the series is not without humor as the clever black comedy of number 10 shows. It's hard to say which film is the best, they're all brillant to be sure(though I found Decalogue 6 to be absolutely spectacular). This is a case of the whole being greater than the parts. It staggers the mind when you realize what an ambitious achievement this is. Although its set in Poland and is very "European" in style, temperment,ect. This is a very universal film. Its not preachy or pretentious, its a very humane film that is very observant of human fallibility, it questions, it provokes, it inspires. What a shame Hollywood cannot seem to produce any filmmaking of this caliber. Very highly recommeded!
Rating:
Summary: Some of Kieslowski's best
Review: I waited for years to get a chance to see Kieslowski's Decalogue, and am so pleased to have finally got the two DVD set from Amazon. What can I say -- this is a masterpiece. Over 500 minutes of some of the most subtle, perceptive film making in the history of cinema. Kieslowski's films get at the heart of what makes people tick, and the Decalogue is perhaps his finest work, surpassing even the essential Three Colors: Red, White and Blue. If you have a DVD player and are a fan of Kieslowski's work, then you *must* own this. The transfer is excellent and perfectly captures the nuances of the cinematography. You will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A must see
Review: A must see indeed. Superbly written, perfectly directed, a sensational cast and stories you won't forget. In a nutshell: a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: decalogue review
Review: If you've seen Sopranos on HBO, you will know why people respond so strongly to that television show--it is so deeply rooted in the reality of OUR world while ostensibly being about the New Jersey mafia syndicate. Watching the Sopranos for the first time, I thought about the Decalogue because it created that same sense of recognition and identification for me when I watched it several years ago in college. Being from Eastern Europe, I was used to the dark tone and strong irony of its cinema, however, the Kielowski series presented a much more profound and universal examination of Europeans and their value system than the usual fare. Kieslowski suffuses the series with the spirit of moral and cultural awakening and sophistication that seemed to be sweeping Europe at the time. The series is also seen as a precursor to his much more disingenuous and sardonic colors trilogy that came in the 90's. What upsets me about Decalogue is that it starts out stronger than it finishes. The first few episodes (1,4,5 especially) have an emotional purity and resonance that is matched by few full-length movies I've seen. In later episodes, Kieslowski's technique and writing improve but the themes lack the initial urgency and depth of perspective. In all, though DC is a great series that must be seen to be appreciated. My favorite episode is #4, based on the commandment "honor thy father and thy mother". It is about a college student who discovers a letter from her dead mother informing her, prematurely, that the man she thinks is her father is not. This opens the way to the girl's suppressed attraction to her father figure, which is examined with such frankness and intimacy that you wonder how the director fit it all into 50 minutes. Having said this, I also want to say that I have not given anything away by revealing the initial incident--there are so many reverses in this one that it leaves you guessing and tantalized. What surprises me is the amount of material and all the themes that Kieslowski worked into the episode. Among other things, the story is about the girl finally trying out her acting skills. See it and you'll be amased. I would also recommend seeing Philip Kaufman's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" concurrently or soon after this series. It introduces some of the same themes as the Decalogue and does it in the framework of the novel by Milan Kundera, which, to my mind, is as sophisticated and as incisive as the Decalogue
Rating:
Summary: Emotional Innocense Lost
Review: This moving ten part series that originally aired in Poland in 1989, and then swept across the rest of Europe in 1990 and '91, really put Kieslowski on the map as a World filmmaker. He was, of course, an extremely influential filmmaker in Poland, and his "pre-Dekalog" films had a tight band of international fans (I highly recomend No End). But with these ten fifty minute films he broke open the flood gates to his last four films- The Double Life of Veronique, and the Three Colors Trilogy. Which are, in my opinion, among the best films ever made.The ten short features of the Decalogue mirror each one of the ten commandments in real-life situations. Watching these in order is an emotional journey that's tough to explain. The films have this Everyman feel, and somehow at the end you feel as if you've visited the apartment complex (where all ten films are set) in Warsaw. You feel with each of these stories a layer of innocense slipping away. Particualry enjoyable was Honor thy Father, and Though Shalt not Commit Adultery (which was turned into the somwewhat dissapointing 90 minute film A Short Film About Love). I recomend these films highly. You won't regret the purchase . . . unless your favorite director is Michael Bay.
Rating: 
Summary: Patience is a requirement.
Review: I bought this DVD set because I was such a huge fan of Blue, White & Red. I also enjoyed the Double Life of Veronique. I found the premise intrigue with the Decalogue. I mean, 10 one hour stories base on each different commandment. First of all, let me say it isn't obvious, which makes it very very good indeed. It doesn't hit you on the head with "HAVE NO OTHER GOD OTHER THAN ME". But the patience required in viewing these is to view all ten because it is truly a remarkable achievement in story telling AND in conveying the 10 commandments in a way no other filmmaker can do, except for this wonderful director. I can tell you now, that it will not be for everyone. The story is in Polish with english subtitles, but it's best to watch it that way because, just like in american films, people's subtle way of talking and stresses ads as much to the film itself than mere dialogue. Kieslowski intended the story to be told in that way and dubbed dialogue would, perhaps, ruin those little subtle nuances. But the key to the decalogue is not the film itself, but the lesson and honesty it protrays in the story and in the film making process. It let us know that a story that has been read millions of time and told thousands of times and probably film in dozens of ways, can be shown in a refreshing, wonderful light that one can never hope to imagine and inspire us to look at the bible again. There is no glitz here, no CGI, in fact the set takes a backseat. It is the story that matters and the wondeful thing about these stories is that the people act normal. No overly dramatic characters is what makes this film a worthwhile see. If you are a film student, it is a must see. This is the type of work that leads to discussions and that is a good thing. The one drawback that I have with this is that the video is rather dark. But then again, it was filmed quite awhile ago. Another note, you have to be in somewhat and openminded and serious mood to watch this film.
Rating:
Summary: A creative triumph!
Review: Kielowski made a glorious work. This set talks about the relativeness you may approach every one of these ten commandments.
In a miserable building Kielowski shows us with no mercy sight the close space in which the polish citizen live. All the story are a serious ehic conflict and the resolution usually goes on the opposite side of the real spirit of the commadment itself.
Specially remarkable are the Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10.
Kielowski made his own script for the polish TV.
An unforgettable masterpiece ; a must for any serious lover of the cinema.
Rating:
Summary: Morality in a grey world.
Review: A collection of stories loosely derived from The Ten Commandments. Stories about passion and the emotional and intellectual conflict as its consequence. True, we have freedom of action, but our actions are often motivated by internal forces that we cannot understand or control. If God put these forces within us, how can He then expect us to follow His commandments? Perhaps the answer lies within the confused struggle of need/want with what we SHOULD do. Though all of the characters from the 10 stories live in the same apartment complex, each of them are alone and secluded. There is a constant conflict between fear of reaching out to other human beings with the fear of emotional isolation. The moral position is in constant motion, often being passed from one character to another in a single scene. The Decalogue attacks the intellect by first connecting with us emotionally, leaving us with a very real sense of the struggle. Kieslowski never preaches to his congregation and morality is never black & white, for these stories are all part of a grey world - the real world. Here there are no happy endings, only a heavy dose of ambiguity and the instinctive need to struggle on. Kieslowski used different cinematographers for each episode but the music of Zbigniew Preisner permiates all 10 episodes and opens up the heart, further exposing us to the characters emotions and bringing us that much closer to genuine understanding.
Rating:
Summary: Patience is a requirement.
Review: I bought this DVD set because I was such a huge fan of Blue, White & Red. I also enjoyed the Double Life of Veronique. I found the premise intrigue with the Decalogue. I mean, 10 one hour stories base on each different commandment. First of all, let me say it isn't obvious, which makes it very very good indeed. It doesn't hit you on the head with "HAVE NO OTHER GOD OTHER THAN ME". But the patience required in viewing these is to view all ten because it is truly a remarkable achievement in story telling AND in conveying the 10 commandments in a way no other filmmaker can do, except for this wonderful director. I can tell you now, that it will not be for everyone. The story is in Polish with english subtitles, but it's best to watch it that way because, just like in american films, people's subtle way of talking and stresses ads as much to the film itself than mere dialogue. Kieslowski intended the story to be told in that way and dubbed dialogue would, perhaps, ruin those little subtle nuances. But the key to the decalogue is not the film itself, but the lesson and honesty it protrays in the story and in the film making process. It let us know that a story that has been read millions of time and told thousands of times and probably film in dozens of ways, can be shown in a refreshing, wonderful light that one can never hope to imagine and inspire us to look at the bible again. There is no glitz here, no CGI, in fact the set takes a backseat. It is the story that matters and the wondeful thing about these stories is that the people act normal. No overly dramatic characters is what makes this film a worthwhile see. If you are a film student, it is a must see. This is the type of work that leads to discussions and that is a good thing. The one drawback that I have with this is that the video is rather dark. But then again, it was filmed quite awhile ago. Another note, you have to be in somewhat and openminded and serious mood to watch this film.
Rating:
Summary: A creative triumph!
Review: Kielowski made a glorious work. This set talks about the relativeness you may approach every one of these ten commandments.
In a miserable building Kielowski will show us with no mercy sight the claustropobhic space in which the polish citizens live. All along the stories there will be serious ethic conflicts between the letter and the spirit of every commandement and the resolution usually goes on the opposite side of the real spirit of the commadment itself.
Specially remarkable are the Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10.
Kielowski made his own script for the polish TV.
An unforgettable masterpiece ; a must for any serious lover of the cinema.
|
